Groin strains are a very common occurrence on hockey players. We now have lots of evidence that shows that a high percentage of hockey players suffer from groin pain over the course of a hockey season (here, here, here). This may come as no surprise to some, but the mechanics of skating put a lot […]
Hockey players are known for having chronic hip flexor issues. A lot of players will either complain of tight hip flexors or will have issues with constantly “tweaking” their hip flexors when skating volume increases. These are also usually the players who often complain of tight hips but yet are constantly stretching their hips. Before […]
Hip issues in hockey players has become a well-known problem. In a recent study by Worner et al. (2019) of over 300 professional hockey players during a single hockey season, they found that over 50% of players suffered some form of hip or groin issue. In a separate study, Worner et al. (2019) also found […]
Hip arthroscopy has been one of the fastest evolving orthopaedic surgeries of the past few decades, with incidence rates increasing upwards of 600% (Reiman, 2015). Due to higher rates of FAI, labrum tears, and chondrolabral damage, more and more athletes and active individuals are opting for hip arthroscopy (Reiman et al., 2016). Most will undergo […]
From the topics covered in my previous posts, it’s clear that I enjoy working and learning about hips. But this hasn’t always been the case. I used to find hips very overwhelming. There are so many anatomical structures that could be generating pain, not to mention referral from the SI joint, low back and red flags! Hips were my kryptonite. I remember […]
Skating mechanics can have great implications on a player’s performance. With the increased focus on speed, players are always looking for ways to improve their ability to skate to compliment their off-ice speed training. Research in skating biomechanics has demonstrated differences between high caliber and low caliber players skating mechanics (Renaud et al, 2017; Buckeridge […]
The hip can be a complex and daunting joint to assess. There are lots of structures within and surrounding the hip that could be causing issues. On top of this, hip dysfunction has been shown to be a factor in low back dysfunction as well as knee pain. With the importance the hip plays in different pathologies, it’s also important to know and be […]
I often see people who lack hip internal rotation, which can play a factor in lots of issues. But I have always been apprehensive in prescribing hip internal rotation stretches. I think part of the reason is that I’ve struggled with hip IR myself, being a hockey player, as most do. I’ve tried stretching but […]
Hip issues in sports have become much more prevalent in recent years, along with an exponential increase in hip surgeries. We are seeing more athletes training around hip/groin injuries and rehabbing post hip arthroscopy. I recently read a systematic review that concluded that core strengthening was an integral part of management of FAI prior to […]
Unfortunately, overuse hip labrum injuries are very common in cutting sports. The cause is generally unknown. However, I came across this flow chart recently that I felt did a very good job in describing the process of hip labrum overuse injuries. There are typically 2 mechanisms, abnormal morphology and repetitive low load on the hip, […]
